Question

Describe the condition of the Russian workers on the eve of Russian Revolution in 1917.

Answer 1

The First World War and the Russian Revolution
 1914: First World War broke out between two European alliances-Germany, Austria
and Turkey (the Central Powers) and France, Britain and Russia (later Italy and
Romania).
 1914-1916: Russian armies lost badly in Austria and Germany.
 Industries and industrial equipment disintegrated more rapidly in Russia than
elsewhere in Europe.
 Labour shortages and small workshops producing essentials were shut down as ablebodied men were called for the war.
 By 1916, riots at bread shops were common owing to the bread and flour scarcity.
 The February Revolution in Petrograd
 February, 1917: Food shortages were deeply felt in the worker’s quarters.
 The Tsar wanted to dissolve the Duma, but the revolutionaries opposed this.
 22nd February, 1917: A lockout took place at a factory which was followed by a
workers strike in fifty factories. Women led the strikes in many factories and this day
came to be known as the International Women’s Day

Answer 2

Answer:

Prior to 1917, the working class of Russia lived in abject poverty under the Tsars who encouraged capitalists.  

The wages were very low that the workers could not buy proper food or live in decent houses. The working hours were long and conditions of work unhygienic in most cases. There was no medical cover or medical facilities that the workers could afford. Many of them died of work-related diseases. This led the working class to unite and revolt against the Tsarist regime in 1917 and ultimately resulted in the birth of communism.